Pope brings peace message to U.S. amid Qaeda threats

By Randall Mikkelsen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pope Benedict will carry a message of peace during a six-day U.S. visit beginning on Tuesday, but Osama bin Laden's recent condemnations of the Roman Catholic leader have put security officials on edge.

U.S. intelligence authorities and Church officials say there are no specific, credible threats surrounding the first American papal visit since the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001.

But they are mindful that al Qaeda's leader in March accused Benedict taking part in a "new crusade" against Muslims, which has raised already-high security worries. Security for the pontiff's visit to Washington and New York is tighter than previous papal trips, officials said.

Other Islamist militants previously threatened Benedict over his quotation in 2006 of a medieval text condemning Islam's Prophet Mohammed.

The last papal visit to the United States, by Benedict's predecessor, Pope John Paul, was in 1999.

"We have to take what al Qaeda leaders say seriously. It's not just rhetoric," said Charles Allen, U.S. undersecretary of Homeland Security for Intelligence and Analysis.

He told reporters an assessment by Homeland Security and the FBI found "no direct threat to the pope" and security officials said bin Laden's latest message did not alter their plans. But they plan an all-out protection effort overseen by the U.S. Secret Service.

The agency declined to specify security measures. New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said they would include thousands of police on the streets, scuba divers in the East River, radiation detectors and flight restrictions.